DATE: Wednesday, March 19, 1997             TAG: 9703190484

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   82 lines

PRHA ACCEPTS 3 BIDS FOR HIGH STREET PARCELS THE STOREFRONT BUILDINGS WERE ONCE DESIGNATED FOR DEMOLITION.

The Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority has decided that storefront space on High Street, once designated for demolition, will be used for tax-paying businesses.

The PRHA board on Tuesday notified three of eight bidders for buildings in the 600 block of High Street that their proposals have been accepted.

The successful bidders include Pfeiffer's Books, Cards and Fine Wines, now in the 400 block of High Street; an antique shop now in Chesapeake, and a Suffolk couple who want to open a gourmet kitchen.

The price the new owners will pay will be negotiated by PRHA and will depend on the amount of work they will have to do to get the buildings ready for use.

Some of those whose proposals were rejected, including a barbecue restaurant, will be given other options in the same block, said Danny Cruce, PRHA's director.

``As late as yesterday (Monday), we still had people calling, wanting to bid on this property,'' Cruce said. ``It's like this place has suddenly turned to gold.''

He said the growing interest in the High Street storefronts has caused his office to look at other vacant properties in the immediate area, which is part of the city's Vision 2005 economic and community development plan.

Also, PRHA still has not awarded several small shops in the 600 block. Cruce said the small shops were withheld pending completion of negotiations on the proposals that were accepted.

The eight bidders included the Portsmouth Community Development Group, a nonprofit organization that once held a lease on the property.

More than 160 downtown business people signed a petition asking PRHA not to sell or lease the buildings to the nonprofit organization. The citizens asked that the buildings be sold to businesses to bring customers and tourists to the city.

Richard Atkison, who owns one building in the block, circulated the petition.

Atkison, who also bid on the buildings, said he was pleased that businesses were going to buy the property.

``I want to put a military museum down here, but I really didn't think I would get these buildings anyway,'' he said. ``My main concern is to get businesses here.''

The properties in the 600 block had been marked for demolition by the housing authority until several years ago. In 1994, Portsmouth Community Development Group leased the buildings for $1 a year. The organization promised to put an urban arts center in one building and create small shops in the others.

When the development group failed to carry out the promised rehabilitation, the housing authority revoked the lease and hired a contractor to do the exterior renovations.

A request for proposals generated the eight bids.

Bill Schlaht, a co-owner of Anderson-Wright antiques adjacent to the properties under negotiation, said he and others in the 600 block are ``excited over the possibilities'' for adding several new retail shops to the neighborhood.

``We feel very good about the direction things are going,'' he said. ``I have confidence in the people at PRHA and think they deserve credit for their decision.''

Arden and Pat Pfeiffer, who opened their shop at Prison Square, a commercial section of High Street, more than three years ago, will buy the building at 606-608 High Street that was restored for the now defunct Regina's Restaurant.

``We're very optimistic about the future of Portsmouth, and we are ready to expand,'' Pat Pfeiffer said Tuesday.

She said the store probably will not move until summer.

``We want to cut a door to open on the courtyard next to the building so we can take full advantage of the outdoor area,'' she said.

The building the Pfeiffers will buy has a second floor that they will not use immediately for their business.

``But we already have four different people interested in renting it,'' she said.

The Vision 2005 plan includes the construction of a parking lot behind the buildings in the 600 block of High Street. In addition, the city is creating 20 nearby parking spaces in the middle of Washington Street between High and London streets. ILLUSTRATION: Map

DOWNTOWN PORTSMOUTH

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu